Animal grooming device with feature for topical application of therapeutic material
An animal grooming device includes a body, a plurality of grooming elements, an upper peripheral rim extending around a periphery of the body. The upper peripheral rim and top side of the body form a reservoir to hold therapeutic material therein. An aborbent applicator pad is placed within said reservoir to selectively control dispensing of the material through an exposed surface of the applicator pad. Another embodiment includes a plurality of passageways formed through the body in which the material is dispensed from the reservoir or applicator pad through the passageways to a bottom side of the body adjacent to the grooming elements. A method of delivering the therapeutic material is achieved by filling the reservoir and then applying the pressure to the applicator pad causing dispensing of the material onto the animal through the passageways. Another method includes preventing or mitigating stress experienced by an animal by selective delivery of the therapeutic material onto the animal.
1 . A method of grooming an animal comprising;
providing a grooming device having a body, a plurality of grooming elements secured to a bottom side of the body, a plurality of dispensing passageways extending through the body, an upper peripheral rim extending around and above a periphery of a top side of the body, said upper peripheral rim having a plurality of outer indentations and a reservoir defined as a space within an upper surface of the body and extending to a protruding inner sidewall of the peripheral rim;
placing an applicator pad within said reservoir that holds a quantity of therapeutic material therein, said applicator pad having a lower surface that contacts an upper surface of said body and said applicator pad having an upper exposed surface;
absorbing with said applicator pad the therapeutic material in said reservoir;
placing a pressure cover over the upper exposed surface of said applicator pad;
applying pressure to said body, said applicator pad, or said pressure cover causing the therapeutic material to be dispensed from the applicator pad through the dispensing passageways and not through the grooming elements; and
contacting the animal with the dispensed therapeutic material.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
said therapeutic material including at least one of a shampoo, conditioner, pheromone or
a botanical compound, and wherein said pheromone or a botanical compound has a calming effect on the animal.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the grooming device is made of an elastomeric material and when the upper peripheral rim contacts the animal, the upper peripheral rim deflects in response to the pressure thereby making continuous contact with the animal's fur to optimize removal of the liquid.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
an upper free edge of the peripheral rim is tapered to maximize use of the upper peripheral rim as the squeegee.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
a height of the upper peripheral rim is between about 75 one-thousandths of an inch to 1 inch and a thickness of the upper peripheral rim is between about 80 to 250 one-thousandths of an inch.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further including:
applying pressure to the grooming device against the animal wherein the upper peripheral rim deflects in response to the pressure and thereby the upper peripheral rim acts as a squeegee to remove liquid from the animal's fur.
7 . A method of grooming an animal comprising;
providing a grooming device having a body, a plurality of grooming elements secured to a bottom side of the body, a plurality of dispensing passageways extending through the body, an upper peripheral rim extending around and above a top side of the body and a reservoir defined as a space within the peripheral rim and an upper surface of the body;
placing an applicator pad within said reservoir that holds a quantity of the therapeutic material therein, said applicator pad having a lower surface that contacts an upper surface of said body within said reservoir;
absorbing with said applicator pad the therapeutic material in said reservoir;
placing a pressure cover over the upper exposed surface of said applicator pad;
applying pressure to said pressure cover causing the therapeutic material to be dispensed from the applicator pad through the dispensing passageways to the bottom side of the body; and
contacting the animal with the dispensed therapeutic material.
8 . The method of claim 7 , further including:
applying pressure to the grooming device against the animal wherein the upper peripheral rim deflects in response to the pressure and thereby the upper peripheral rim acts as a squeegee to remove liquid from the animal's fur.